The company, which posted 11 per cent growth in sales of BMW range of vehicles in the first quarter of 2018 at 2,377 units, also said it is looking at double-digit growth for the full year despite challenges of price hike due to increase in customs duty.

After many years of volume declines, the German car major had posted a robust 25 per cent volume growth in 2017, creating 9,800 new customers. The numbers include those sold under the BMW and the Mini brands. BMW alone clocked 9,379 units.

BMW Group India president Vikram Pawah said the i3s is aimed at the "new era of green mobility" and is designed to exceed the toughest demands of urban mobility. The i3s has an electric range of up to 280 kms.

"The new BMW 330i Gran Turismo M Sport with a perfect blend of sporting character, impressive performance and appealing design makes every journey an unforgettable experience," BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah said in a statement.

SUVs, mid-sized, large and luxury cars that had become cheaper after GST rollout on July 1 will cost more as the GST Council last week approved a proposal to hike cess on them to 25 per cent, from 15 per cent now.

BMW Motorrad officially started its operations as a part of the Indian subsidiary of BMW Group in 2017. Earlier, BMW Motorrad was operating in India with importers who had sales outlets in Mumbai and New Delhi.

​​This comes as a surprise to the industry as Rakesh was recently elevated to the position of Directo Sales and Marketing which was the third promotion for him in six years of his tenure in the company.